Louisiana Wildlife Federation submitted formal comments to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s (CPRA) on its proposed Draft Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Plan.
If passed by the legislature, the Draft 2026 Annual Plan will be the largest investment to date at $1.80 billion for fiscal year 2026, topping last year’s total of $1.68 billion. This level of investment in sustaining and protecting our coastal zone is important to the survival of south Louisiana.
We applaud the administration for continuing to focus on moving projects in the master plan from planning to construction to completion. With 133 priority projects in progress, and the 197 completed projects, Louisiana’s coastal program is firmly in the construction phase and getting projects on the ground.
LWF is pleased to see the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project is again slated for a budget of $127 million this year, $454 million next year, and $574 million in fiscal year 2028. It is a crucial part of the planning and implementation for the region. Now we need to use it. But there has not been a word spoken in the past three CPRA board meetings about the status of the project and its continued construction. The ongoing construction delays are concerning.
Read LWF’s full comments on the Draft Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Plan HERE